A fire broke out Sunday and engulfed 45 hectares of young forest on Mong Ga mountain, in Ha Tinh Province's Huong Son district.

Le Xuan Song, an official in Son Tra ward, said that the fire was first reported at around 5 p.m on June 1. Dry and hot weather were blamed for rapidly fanning flames through portions of neighboring Son Binh and An Phu wards, he said.

The local government mobilized around 400 people, including forest wardens, forest owners and other locals in an effort to extinguish the blaze.

By midnight, the same day, the flames were put out.

“The flames leveled a 50-hectare area, including 45 hectares of forest spread among three wards, most of which were pine, eucalyptus and acacia trees planted in 2009,” said Song.